My best tool is my digital voice recorder…I record everything when I meet with my doctors and it never forgets, like I often do.
From now on, you are the one in charge of your own health; you are the boss.
Bring a voice recorder or, if you use a smartphone (iPhone or Android) use a recording app when you meet with your doctors. In most states, asking permission is up to you. Simply google your state and check to see if you need to inform the other person that you are recording them. You can get relatively inexpensive transcripts made of these voice recordings….it’s probably easier for you to read through a transcript than to listen to your entire doctor meeting again.
Also, bring along your caregiver or other loved one to your doctor meetings. Another pair of ears and the brain between them is an invaluable resource. Have them join the conversation and ask questions. They will often ask questions or bring up issues that haven’t occurred to you, but which turn out to be crucial.
After the meeting, review together what was said and what was recommended. Remember, we are under extraordinary stress. We are subject mishearing, misunderstanding, and forgetting.